Vices, Tricks, and Faults. 131 



It is difficult to break a plunging horse of 

 its vice, because it is hard to get control over 

 the animal while it is plunging. When a horse 

 plunges it should have its head held up, and it 

 should be pushed forward until it takes some 

 regular pace. If it plunges from high spirits 

 only, it will probably drop the trick when it 

 has been carefully ridden ; but if plunging be- 

 come an established vice, it cannot be guarded 

 against. As an experiment, I took a horse 

 with this vice confirmed, and taught it to 

 plunge as a movement, thinking that the animal 

 would not voluntarily perform that which had 

 become a labor. I was mistaken; the horse 

 continued to plunge w^hen it was fresh, and I 

 could never depend upon its steadiness. This 

 horse had the " buck's eye," of which I have 

 spoken, and was usually very foolish. 



When a horse refuses to leave its company, 

 or to go in a certain direction, or is otherw^ise 

 restive, it should be turned about several times 

 by drawing the rein which finds the least 

 resistance, and by pressing in the heel of the 

 same side. This " rolling-up" of the animal 

 confuses it, and makes it forget its intention, 

 and the rider may then direct it where he 



